


Ten Second Head Start

by itisunreal



Series: Tag [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, loosely based on the movie Tag, minor language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-27 04:24:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15016610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itisunreal/pseuds/itisunreal
Summary: It's a simple game, but he hasn't caught her once in all these years.





	Ten Second Head Start

Daisy sits in the common room, reading. It's late. The base is mostly empty, just their core group really, but she hasn't seen anyone in hours. They're all likely in bed by now. It's probably where she should be at this hour, but… There's something eerie about the base tonight. She swears she can hear the distant beat of someone's feet. Like someone's running full out. Up and down the halls. 

Sinking further into the couch, she flicks the edges of her magazine straight, and continues with the article. She plods through two more paragraphs before she hears it again. Straightening up, she looks through the darkened windows again. Something moves in the shadows, footsteps louder, faster. 

Standing, Daisy cautiously pads into the hall, but nothing's there. Even the sounds are gone by the time she gets there. There's this feeling of eyes on her though, a need to check behind her, but when she does she's still alone. 

"What the actual fuck?"

She waits a few more seconds, listening intently. But there's nothing, just this slightly unearthly feeling floating around. Maybe she's looking too much into this. The base is secure. No alarms have been raised. No one's gotten in. Maybe someone's just messing with her. 

When nothing comes of it, she decides it's only an overactive imagination, and a small pinch of paranoia. In any case, nothing serious that needs her attention. Dropping back onto her seat, she props her feet on the coffee table, and continues on.

She's halfway through her article before she realizes she has no idea what it's talking about, and that she doesn't care enough to go back and reread. Sighing, she rests her head on the back of the couch. It's a second, if that, before something catches her eye, and she pushes herself further up as a shadow zips by the doorway once more, the quick hit of shoes running down the hall. She squints trying to decipher shapes in the darkness, but there's only solid blackness. A rush of feet again, and Daisy jumps as May whips through the far doorway, diving for the couch. She slides behind it soundlessly.

Stomach in her throat, Daisy swallows it down, and turns around. Leaning over the back, she tucks a few stray strands behind her ear. "What the hell? You scared the sh—"

"Shh!" May snaps, never looking at her. She surveys the room as she barks, "Eyes forward. Act natural."

Flipping back around without question, Daisy raises her magazine once more, but can't get back into it. She peers over the shiny paper, watching the dark again for any sign of what May is fleeing from. Evidently nothing dangerous or she wouldn't just let Daisy sit out in the open like this.

It's not thirty seconds later before the shadows are swimming again, swirling around a form. Coulson emerges, a smug expression in place, and Daisy's jaw drops for a split second. She hadn't seen that one coming. May doesn't flee from things, especially not Coulson. What in the world are they doing? 

"I know you're in here Melinda. Need a breather already?" 

It's a barb, a padded one though, not meant to actually hurt. Daisy rolls her eyes as May takes the bait, throwing back a jab of her own.

"No, but it sounds like you do." 

"Hold up." Dropping her magazine, Daisy's hands make a T as she looks between them. "Can I ask for a time out?" 

"No," they answer in unison.

May pulls herself up on the back of the couch, and takes a step back. There's half a minute of silence before Coulson feigns left, and facing forward, Daisy imagines May doesn't even flinch, already six steps ahead in this game. Dropping her head back, everything is upside down, but there's a definite playfulness in the way she sways in place, taunting.

"You really want to try this again? Do you enjoy getting hurt?"

Coulson shrugs lazily, a smug grin in place. "Only in certain circumstances, you know that." 

"Wait, what?!" Daisy's head whips back upright and around, eyes going wide before she gives herself a full body shake. "Ew. There are children present."

They ignore her for the most part, gaze never straying from each other. 

"You won't catch me."

Coulson leaps at the couch, May just a hair's breath beyond his reach.

"I told you," she continues to tease as he strains, fingertips stretching. 

"There's a first time for everything." 

"You'll never take me alive."

Daisy's face scrunches as she finally figures out what's going on. "Are you guys playing tag?" 

"Yeah, what'd you think we were doing?" Coulson stops, pulling back. He let's his arms hang over the back of the couch as he looks at her.

"I don't know. At first, I thought it was some strange form of foreplay..." May scoffs from behind her, and Daisy turns, shrugging as she does. "Why are you playing tag in the dark?"

"It's almost the end of May. And yes, I mean that both ways," Coulson anwsers, overly puffed-up for a man who has yet to catch his target.

"So…?"

He flips around, leaning against the arm, whether because he actually wants to tell her or because he's trying to lull May into a false sense of security, she doesn't know. But she suspects it's a little of both. "We've been playing since the Academy. After graduating, we decided that for one month a year, we would play. No matter where we were or what we where doing, we'd find a way." 

"That's actually...kinda cute."

"The worst part of it, she's never been tagged." 

"Like never ever, never?"

"Not once. She's just a ghost, one minute there, the next not. But God help you if you back her into a corner."

"Why?" Daisy's smile is bright as she looks between them.

"She acts like an animal," he raises his voice, throwing May a stern glance, but there's no response from her. If there was a way to shame her for her behavior and the things she's done during the game he would have found it by now. But nothing he does ever gets any reaction. "Barton got close once. She pantsed him, and rolled him down a flight of stairs."

May snorts from behind them, but she doesn't add to the story or get any closer. In no hurry to end her perfect record. 

"It hasn't just been you two all this time, right? Cause that sounds like the saddest game ever." 

Coulson shakes his head. "No, whole group of us started out. Hand, Garret, Barton, a couple others." 

Daisy frowns at the list, but can't stop herself from asking. "What happened?"

"Life. Some have gone into hiding, some died, some just got lost for a while." His eyes linger longer on his partner than he'd like, tone soft, but May keeps her own away from him. It seems longer than the solitary moment it is, but she finds him again, and all is well. Clearing his throat, he turns his attention back to Daisy. "It's been just us for a while, and we haven't played much in recent years. Something felt right about tonight though."

"But why the dark?"

"Makes it harder."

"Obviously." Daisy rolls her eyes at herself. "Got it. Had to up the ante. What's a normal game of tag to a bunch of super spies?" 

The question goes unanswered, not that she is really expecting one. Coulson jolts them from their thoughts not a minute later anyway.

"I'd like to make an amendment to the rules. All in favor of allowing new players say aye."

"Aye," Daisy pipes in, raising her hand the same time Coulson does. It does sound like fun, and who is she to pass up this opportunity. It's been years since she played, since anyone wanted to.

"The amendment has been seconded..."

"She doesn't get a vote, Ph—" 

"The motion's passed." Ignoring Melinda's weak protests, he gives Daisy's shoulder a squeeze. "And with the passing of this motion, I give you the it. Go get 'em, tiger."

Daisy stands, watching May with a sharp smile. This is going to be super fun. Her mentor bolts for the far door while she's lost in minor musings, but Daisy's quick on the draw, ready for the escape. Well, the attempt, and throws a soft quake at her feet. 

The small rumble trips May up, sending her to the floor with a thud. And the sight is comical enough that Daisy guffaws loudly before she manages to cover her mouth, and rein the giggles in with a snort. She didn't think that would actually work.

"Hey, no powers," Coulson scolds, in a tone not meant for scolding. A verbal tap on the wrist. He doesn't move from his place to help either. 

Daisy shrugs, hands hitting her thighs. "You just said she pantsed some guy and rolled him down the stairs, that sounds like powers are allowed." 

May lays there, sprawled for a moment, and before she manages to get her bearings back, Daisy skips forward, and taps her shoulder.

"You're it." 

There's a minute where Daisy doesn't think she's going to get up at all, just lay there in defeat, but May plucks herself off the floor, brushing non-existent dust off herself.

Stepping back, Daisy makes sure there's plenty of room between them. May ignores her though, instead she tugs at her jacket, starting to pull it off. Coulson's familiar enough with that non-expression, the way she firmly yanks at the leather, to know that it does not bode well for them. 

"Run!" He's off the couch in the blink of an eye, pushing Daisy from the Commons before May's even fully removed one sleeve. "Daisy, run!" 

"Why?"

"If you value your life, you'll go. Warn the others. No one is safe."

Daisy speeds from the room without looking back. And Coulson turns his smile from the door to May, Daisy's hasty retreat fading down the hall.

"You did that on purpose."

Hands in his pockets, he shrugs again. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I'm glad we're doing this again though. It's fun." 

"Yeah, I've missed it." She softly smiles back. "She's gonna wake everyone up, Phil." 

"It won't kill them." Coulson eyes the clock, while backing toward the door. "There's five minutes left this season. Whaddaya say?" 

"You've got to the count of ten." 


End file.
